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Sometimes I wonder if the Big 4 hire only GOOD looking people with certain attribute

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  • Sep 14th, 2010 8:28 pm
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Nov 17, 2009
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Sometimes I wonder if the Big 4 hire only GOOD looking people with certain attribute

Now I've been going to 3 of the Big 4's Xmas party for the last 5 years or so and so far I've not noticed anyone (both male and female) that is bad looking or extremely out of shape. I mean the people attending the Xmas parties are not the 100% representation of the firm population but it must have at least some correlation. This is somewhat different in the industry where there is quite a bit of variance in terms of looks and physical appearance.

After reading some of the accounting threads such as this one:
ACC-Major wrote: If you are tall and good looking with a good CGPA, of course good communication skills, the chance of getting hired is 99%.

Our company uses KPMG, and their auditors are hot. When they walk out of the auditing room together, we gathered around and watch them as if they are performing a cat walk show.
It kinda confirms my suspicion that the above norm is true... Even the other guests attending the big 4 Xmas parties commented the same and they almost thought they have entered a beauty show instead of a party! :lol:

I think I've not seen ONE bad looking partners at the firms either.
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Apr 27, 2008
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It is well known that among the Big 4, PWC tends to focus on physical appearance the most when hiring fresh grads.
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sardaukar wrote: It is well known that among the Big 4, PWC tends to focus on physical appearance the most when hiring fresh grads.

I am guessing because part of the job requires tons of client facing time and clients are going to less "pi-ssed" off or less mad when there is an attractive person charging them minimum $250/hour lol? :razz:
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Maybe the least desirable ones never get an invitation? :evil:
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Aug 11, 2010
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According to research HRs do care about how people look when they hire, consciously or subconsciously :razz:
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It's should be considered a given that your physical appearance will or will not land you the job.

I would rather hire an attractive person than one who is over weight or below average. If both candidates are equally qualified for the job. And usually the more attractive person is put together better on their interview because they look good, they must dress good as well (or at least we perceive it that way).
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wasserware wrote: I am guessing because part of the job requires tons of client facing time and clients are going to less "pi-ssed" off or less mad when there is an attractive person charging them minimum $250/hour lol? :razz:

It's hardly that rational. When you have a recruitment strategy that's so heavily based on networking and the opinion of entry-level staff, it's only natural that physical appearance becomes a strong influencing factor.
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sardaukar wrote: It is well known that among the Big 4, PWC tends to focus on physical appearance the most when hiring fresh grads.

Yea same in Vancouver. The people at the PwC office in Hong Kong doesn't seem to standout much though, so maybe it's just PwC Canada :D
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Mar 27, 2009
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First of all. whats the Big 4? Ive heard of the Big 3 (GM, Ford, Chrysler) .. who'se the 4?


secondly.. these jobs are for the most part higher paying jobs, better benefits and in huge competition within the population in which they reside. This being said, there are A LOT of applicants... only a very small percentage actually get the job. The person doing the hiring will most likely be biased on a good looking vs less-than-average looking person. I mean, 2 people being equal in every other sense.. who would you choose? Unfortunately for some, with so many applicants, the law of numbers immediately moves them a step below.
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Aug 30, 2007
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tylaw83 wrote: Yea same in Vancouver. The people at the PwC office in Hong Kong doesn't seem to standout much though, so maybe it's just PwC Canada :D

Really? I was under the impression PWC just to hire people out of the student committees... :P
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wasserware wrote: I am guessing because part of the job requires tons of client facing time and clients are going to less "pi-ssed" off or less mad when there is an attractive person charging them minimum $250/hour lol? :razz:

Actually we could care less what they look like. In fact, we just crack jokes about the peons that are bunched together in one of our unused offices.

$250 is not that much, it is the same rate as our Field Service would charge for a billiable visit.
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ugly women have it tough, i agree

men can get by if they're brotastistic enough
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zibzer wrote: First of all. whats the Big 4? Ive heard of the Big 3 (GM, Ford, Chrysler) .. who'se the 4?


secondly.. these jobs are for the most part higher paying jobs, better benefits and in huge competition within the population in which they reside. This being said, there are A LOT of applicants... only a very small percentage actually get the job. The person doing the hiring will most likely be biased on a good looking vs less-than-average looking person. I mean, 2 people being equal in every other sense.. who would you choose? Unfortunately for some, with so many applicants, the law of numbers immediately moves them a step below.

Big 4 is the 4 largest accounting firms that audits almost all of the Fortune 500 public traded companies. They are pretty much every accounting student's dream to get into.
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nalababe wrote: Actually we could care less what they look like. In fact, we just crack jokes about the peons that are bunched together in one of our unused offices.

$250 is not that much, it is the same rate as our Field Service would charge for a billiable visit.

$250 i think is the charge rate for associate level and the thing is you don't even necessary even need to go off site to charge that amount. If someone from the finance department sends them a form to look at or fill, they charge the same rate.
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yiujun wrote: Really? I was under the impression PWC just to hire people out of the student committees... :P

CUS hahaha
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Aug 16, 2008
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psychological researches show HR DO associate better physical appearance with stronger capability unconsciously. This is a general trend.
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Sep 23, 2007
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Big 4 are firms that provide services to clients. Sending workers with better looks gets better client satisfaction. That's just how our world works. Like it or not, LOOKS MATTER.
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Dec 1, 2007
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Richmond Hill
yiujun wrote: Really? I was under the impression PWC just to hire people out of the student committees... :P
one thing i really wanna know about big 4 are those people that get in due to their organizing work in accounting club or committees of their respective school... how did those people flair in the firm? other than they are soo clear on what they really wanna do early in their university life, the way they behave in classes and stuff is just ridiculous... hardly imagine how some of them can become professional... just saying...
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Apr 27, 2008
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ojuice3 wrote: one thing i really wanna know about big 4 are those people that get in due to their organizing work in accounting club or committees of their respective school... how did those people flair in the firm? other than they are soo clear on what they really wanna do early in their university life, the way they behave in classes and stuff is just ridiculous... hardly imagine how some of them can become professional... just saying...

Well, in most cases people smarten up and behave "properly" when they start their Big 4 careers (or any careers for that matter) ... so this is hardly an issue for most of them
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Dec 1, 2007
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sardaukar wrote: Well, in most cases people smarten up and behave "properly" when they start their Big 4 careers (or any careers for that matter) ... so this is hardly an issue for most of them

Yes, smarten up on behavior is not hard. Pretty much every university grad go through this process anyways… i am more interested in their academic capability tho.. how did they do in UFE, etc? because some of them aren’t really performing in those CA prerequisite classes ...

probably afterall, getting in is the only thing matters! personally, i found KPMG girls are quite hot :) horhor

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